{ B L AC K B E R RY FA R M }
inquisitive minds and would-be gardeners alike while stopping on occasion to point out heirloom corn like the bloody butcher, hickory king and Reid’s yellow dent - all originally introduced in the late 1800s, denoting what Coykendall called “an unbroken chain” to the past. This concept of learning from the past to refine the future might be planted in the garden, but has grown to encompass all 4,200 acres of Blackberry Farm. The Art of Eating Well The artisans here are many and most were
born with childhood boots in the dirt or roots in the kitchen. As a writer, I wanted to hear more about their personal stories, but when a confluence of talent comes together to share a love for the land - and samples of their craft - tasting enthusiastically seemed to satisfy my craving just as well. In the Larder, we caught up with beekeeper and preservationist Shannon Walker whose skills as a chef and fondness for farming are poured into each jar he creates. He demonstrated the open kettle method of making jams and jelly, as well as the process of pickling okra, while in the other half of the room, several others were working on an apple stack cake. Unabashedly eyeing the jars of finished product in front of Walker’s work station, I was introduced to and immediately fell in love with the Pecan Sorghum. Through the door to the other side of the Larder, cheesemaker Ryan Burger crafts seasonal and year-round options using predominately sheep’s milk. Rich with a supple texture that’s both well-balanced and light on the palate, the Brebis, produced similarly to a Chèvre, instantly PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEALL+THOMAS; ELEANOR MCCAIN
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Points North | October 2014 | pointsnorthatlanta.com